NASCAR at Daytona starting lineup: Michael McDowell wins his fourth pole of 2024 for the Coke Zero Sugar 400

McDowell and Todd Gilliland make up the first-ever all-Front Row Motorsports front row

Michael McDowell won the pole for the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at the Daytona International Speedway in qualifying on Friday afternoon, posting a lap of 49.136 (183.165 MPH) to win his fourth pole of the 2024 season and the fourth of his NASCAR Cup Series career. McDowell has started on the front row for each speedway race this season, as he earned the outside pole for the Daytona 500 in February before winning the pole at Atlanta and Talladega.

McDowell's fourth pole of the season gives him sole possession of the second-most in the Cup series this year, a mark that trails only Kyle Larson's five poles. In addition, McDowell's pole lap is the fastest qualifying lap recorded at Daytona since NASCAR's Next Gen car debuted in 2022.

Front Row Motorsports teammate Todd Gilliland earned his best career starting spot in second, putting both of the aptly-named team's cars on the front row for the first time in team history. The accomplishment comes 10 years after David Gilliland, Todd's father, earned the organization's first pole in Daytona's summertime race back in 2014. 

With a time of 49.136, @Mc_Driver sets a @DAYTONA track record in the Next Gen car! pic.twitter.com/ti5KtA4R8w

— NASCAR (@NASCAR) August 23, 2024

Fords continued to demonstrate their dominance in superspeedway qualifying, as the top six starting spots were swept by the Blue Oval with Joey Logano third, Ryan Preece fourth, Josh Berry fifth and Chase Briscoe sixth. Daytona 500 winner William Byron was the fastest Chevrolet in seventh, while all the Toyota drivers start in midpack and further back led by Martin Truex Jr. in 17th.

Former Coke Zero Sugar 400 winner Erik Jones, whose car struggled immensely going over the bumps in Daytona's asphalt, aborted his qualifying run and will start shotgun on the field in 40th.

Coke Zero Sugar 400 starting lineup

1. #34 - Michael McDowell
2. #38 - Todd Gilliland
3. #22 - Joey Logano
4. #41 - Ryan Preece
5. #4 - Josh Berry (R)
6. #14 - Chase Briscoe
7. #24 - William Byron
8. #2 - Austin Cindric
9. #5 - Kyle Larson
10. #9 - Chase Elliott
11. #8 - Kyle Busch
12. #6 - Brad Keselowski
13. #17 - Chris Buescher
14. #12 - Ryan Blaney
15. #10 - Noah Gragson
16. #3 - Austin Dillon
17. #19 - Martin Truex Jr.
18. #23 - Bubba Wallace
19. #11 - Denny Hamlin
20. #21 - Harrison Burton
21. #48 - Alex Bowman
22. #99 - Daniel Suarez
23. #33 - Austin Hill
24. #1 - Ross Chastain
25. #45 - Tyler Reddick
26. #54 - Ty Gibbs
27. #20 - Christopher Bell
28. #31 - Daniel Hemric
29. #62 - Parker Retzlaff
30. #71 - Zane Smith (R)
31. #42 - John Hunter Nemechek
32. #16 - Shane van Gisbergen
33. #15 - Cody Ware
34. #7 - Corey LaJoie
35. #47 - Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
36. #51 - Justin Haley
37. #77 - Carson Hocevar (R)
38. #78 - B.J. McLeod
39. #44 - Joey Gase
40. #43 - Erik Jones